Wind turbines provide a primary source of energy that can be converted into electricity and supplied to utility power grids. Conversion of wind energy to electrical energy is accomplished in a wind turbine by driving an electrical generator, commonly an AC induction generator. Recently, wind turbines have received increased attention as environmentally safe and relatively inexpensive alternative energy sources. With this growing interest, considerable efforts have been made to develop wind turbines that are reliable, efficient, and have increased availability.
However, at high wind speeds or for large wind turbines, the power captured from the wind by the rotor may lead to large loads acting on mechanical components. All components necessary for transmitting the loads to the tower are exposed to these large loads. Thus, components like the bearing housing and the main frame need to have a sufficient strength. Prior art systems typically increase the amount of material to withstand the loads. This may be considered an insufficient approach. Increasing the material strength, for example associates the disadvantage of an increased weight. Thus, there is a need to improve respective components.